# Edelmiro Mayer

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{{Infobox officeholder
|name             = Germán Edelmiro Mayer
|office           = Governor of the national territory of Santa Cruz
|order            = 
|native_name      = 
|native_name_lang = 
|image            = Edelmiro Mayer.jpg
|alt              = 
|caption          = Edelmiro Mayer (c. 1873)
|predecessor      = [Ramon Lista](/source/Ramon_Lista)
|successor        = 
|signature        = Firma de Edelmiro Mayer.jpg
|signature_alt    = 
<!--Military service-->
|office2          = 
|predecessor2     = 
|successor2       = 
|party            = 
|birth_date       = May 28, 1834
|birth_place      = [Buenos Aires](/source/Buenos_Aires)
|death_date       = {{death date and age|1897|1|4|1834|5|28}}
|death_place      = [Rio Gallegos](/source/Rio_Gallegos)
|other_party      = <!--For additional political affiliations-->
|children         = 
|alma_mater       = 
|occupation       = 
|profession       = Soldier<br/>Writer
|nickname         = 
|allegiance       = [State of Buenos Aires](/source/State_of_Buenos_Aires)<br>[United States of America](/source/United_States_of_America)<br>[Mexico](/source/Mexico)
|branch           = 
|rank             = 
|unit             = 
|commands         = 
|battles          = [Argentine Civil Wars](/source/Argentine_Civil_Wars)<br>[American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War)<br>[French intervention in Mexico](/source/Second_French_intervention_in_Mexico)
|awards           = 
|term_start       = 1893
|term_end         = 1897
}}
'''Germán Edelmiro Mayer''' (28 May 1834 – 4 January 1897) was an Argentine soldier, writer and statesman who fought in the [Argentine Civil Wars](/source/Argentine_Civil_Wars), the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War) and against the [French intervention in Mexico](/source/Second_French_intervention_in_Mexico). Mayer was the third governor of the national territory of [Santa Cruz](/source/Santa_Cruz_Province%2C_Argentina), being in office from 1893 until his death in 1897.

==Early life==
Mayer was born in Buenos Aires in 1834, the son of a [Hungarian](/source/Hungarians) typographer and a Spanish mother. At the age of 18, he settled along with his family in [New York](/source/New_York_City) City, where he lived until 1858.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Magyarok az észak-amerikai polgárháborúban 1861–1865|last=Ács|first=Tivadar|publisher=Pannonia|year=1964|pages=57|language=hu}}</ref> Back to Argentina, he joined the [State of Buenos Aires](/source/State_of_Buenos_Aires) army and took part in the battles of [Cepeda](/source/Battle_of_Cepeda_(1859)) and [Pavon](/source/battle_of_Pavon) against the [Argentine Confederation](/source/Argentine_Confederation), where he reached the rank of captain and later of mayor.<ref name=":0">[http://www.appnoticias.com.ar/desarro_noti.php?cod=4424 La increíble historia de Edelmiro Mayer] {{in lang|es}}</ref><ref name=":1">[http://www.soldadosdigital.com/2008/los_protagonistas/los_protagonistas14-04-08.htm Historia de Edelmiro Mayer, un personaje increíble] by Sergio Torres {{in lang|es}}</ref> After a dispute between his superiors, General [Wenceslao Paunero](/source/Wenceslao_Paunero_(general)) and [Bartolome Mitre](/source/Bartolom%C3%A9_Mitre), regarding promotions, Mayer resigned to the army and in late 1861 he returned to the [United States](/source/United_States), where his uncle owned a store.<ref name="bb" /><ref>{{Cite book|title=Historia argentina, Volumen 8|last=Rosa|first=Jose María|publisher=J. C. Granda|year=1969|pages=30|language=es}}</ref>

==American Civil War==
Hired by his uncle, he soon left business life for [West Point](/source/West_Point), where he was appointed a military instructor. There, he became a friend of [Robert Todd Lincoln](/source/Robert_Todd_Lincoln), son of [Abraham Lincoln](/source/Abraham_Lincoln). Mayer left the military academy to work in Lincoln Sr's law office.<ref name=bb/>

During the early stages of the civil war,<ref>{{Cite book|title=Claroscuros|last=Gallo|first=Claudio Rodolfo|publisher=Editorial Dunken|year=2014|isbn=978-9870276210|pages=448|language=es}}</ref> Mayer took sides with [abolitionism](/source/abolitionism), and wrote several articles in [Harper's Magazine](/source/Harper's_Magazine),<ref>{{Cite book|title=Las escuelas: base de la prosperidad i de la republica en los Estados Unidos : informe al ministro de instruccion publica de la Republica Arjentina|last=Sarmiento|first=Domingo Faustino|year=1866|pages=184|language=es}}</ref> stressing the role of African slaves' descendants in the [South American Independence wars](/source/Spanish_American_wars_of_independence). He helped to establish a number of [colored regiment](/source/United_States_Colored_Troops)s.<ref name="bb" /> He joined the [Union Army](/source/Union_Army) in July 1863 as a captain.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Record of the Services of the Seventh Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops|last=Califf|first=Joseph Mark|publisher=Books for Libraries Press|year=1971|pages=99}}</ref> Promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, he fought with distinction in [Chattanooga](/source/Chattanooga_Campaign), [Olustee](/source/battle_of_Olustee) and the [Siege of Petersburg](/source/Siege_of_Petersburg), commanding the [45th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment](/source/45th_United_States_Colored_Infantry_Regiment).<ref name=bb>Brebbia (2006), p. 251</ref> At the time of [Lincoln's assassination](/source/Assassination_of_Abraham_Lincoln), Mayer and his men were at a party along with his friend Robert Lincoln. Mayer attended Abraham Lincoln's funeral, comforting his friend and family.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.argentina-insolita.com.ar/relatos-y-frases/soldado_universal.htm |title=Argentina Insólita - Las historias más impactantes de un país "condenado al éxito" |date=2008-04-18 |access-date=2016-07-04 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080418024142/http://www.argentina-insolita.com.ar/relatos-y-frases/soldado_universal.htm |archive-date=April 18, 2008 }}</ref>

==French intervention in Mexico==
From the United States, Mayer moved to [Mexico](/source/Mexico), where he became a general in [Benito Juarez](/source/Benito_Juarez)'s army. Regarded as a "[gringo](/source/gringo)" by some of his subordinates, he killed his second in command in the course of a pistol duel. After he saved the life of French-appointed General [Leonardo Márquez](/source/Leonardo_M%C3%A1rquez) in the aftermath of the [siege of Querétaro](/source/siege_of_Quer%C3%A9taro), in 1867, Mayer was set for execution by firing squad for treason. His own life was spared by the intervention of former President [Domingo Faustino Sarmiento](/source/Domingo_Faustino_Sarmiento), then Argentina's ambassador to the United States.<ref name=":0" />

== Return to Argentina ==
Mayer went back to Argentina in 1873, after a long trip across the United States (where he met [Cuba](/source/Cuba)n patriot [Jose Marti](/source/Jos%C3%A9_Mart%C3%AD)), Mexico, and Britain. His rank of general was recognized by [Carlos Tejedor](/source/Carlos_Tejedor_(politician)), governor of [Buenos Aires province](/source/Buenos_Aires_Province), and in 1875 he commanded the rebel artillery during an uprising against the federal government, led by President [Nicolas Avellaneda](/source/Nicol%C3%A1s_Avellaneda). Following the suppression of the revolt, Mayer was forced to resign to the army. He then became a successful writer, publishing works about his military experiences, translations of [Edgar Allan Poe](/source/Edgar_Allan_Poe) and even a musical dictionary<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> in 1888, where one of the first definitions of [tango](/source/tango) as a music genre is found.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Esos malditos tangos: apuntes para la otra historia|last=Horvath|first=Ricardo|publisher=Biblos|year=2006|isbn=9507865497|language=es|pages=172}}</ref>

== Governor of Santa Cruz ==
Undeterred by a number of ill-fated investments in [shore facilities](/source/Shore_facility) and railways, Mayer eventually purchased a ranch in [Santa Cruz](/source/Santa_Cruz_Province%2C_Argentina), then a [federal territory](/source/federal_territory) in [Patagonia](/source/Patagonia) region. His influence and experience led President [Carlos Pellegrini](/source/Carlos_Pellegrini) to appoint him as governor in 1893, after the resignation of [Ramon Lista](/source/Ram%C3%B3n_Lista).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

Mayer played a key role in populating Santa Cruz. His policy was to expand settlements to the west, close to the [Andes](/source/Andes), in order to avoid the overpopulation of the coast. He promoted activities such as [animal fat](/source/animal_fat)s industry, [ship management](/source/ship_management) and the manufacture of bricks. During his time in office, several scientific expeditions were carried out through the territory led by [Carlos Burmeister](/source/Hermann_Burmeister), [Otto Nordenskjold](/source/Otto_Nordenskj%C3%B6ld), Clemente Onelli and [Carlos Ameghino](/source/Carlos_Ameghino).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nuestromar.org/noticias/mar_calmo_05_2008_rio_turbio_el_carbon_y_la_marina_16080|title=Río Turbio, el carbón y la Marina {{!}} NUESTROMAR|website=www.nuestromar.org|date=16 May 2008 |access-date=2016-07-02}} {{in lang|es}}</ref>

Mayer died suddenly while working at his office in [Rio Gallegos](/source/R%C3%ADo_Gallegos%2C_Santa_Cruz) on 4 January 1897.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* [https://www.loc.gov/item/mal2126300/ Abraham Lincoln papers: Series 1. General Correspondence. 1833-1916: W. Goodfellow to Abraham Lincoln, Tuesday, January 20, 1863 (Introduces Major E. Mayer, an officer from the Argentine National Army)]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayer, Edelmiro}}
Category:1834 births
Category:1897 deaths
Category:Argentine expatriates in the United States
Category:Argentine generals
Category:Argentine people of Hungarian descent
Category:Argentine writers
Category:Governors of the Federal Territory of Santa Cruz
Category:Mexican military personnel
Category:Politicians from Buenos Aires
Category:People of the Second French intervention in Mexico
Category:Union army colonels

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Edelmiro Mayer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edelmiro_Mayer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edelmiro_Mayer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.